Cupid's Daughter

Chapter 4~ The 'Biology' Project

"Dude you have some serious explaining to do." Sam's voice appeared in my ear as I grabbed my Biology books from my locker. For a split second I started to panic, wondering if she'd somehow found out that I was helping Noah. I turned to her with wide eyes, ready to spill my guts and beg for forgiveness for not telling her, when she spoke again. "I didn't hear from you all weekend! Did you fall in a hole or what?"

I exhaled in relief and smiled, slamming my locker door shut. "Need I remind you that you didn't contact me this weekend either?" I shot her a pointed look. She blushed.

"I was... Look, there's been something I've been meaning to tell you, and I'm not entirely sure how you're going to take-" At that moment I spotted Noah walking down the hallway with his best friend JC, and he met my gaze, a small knowing smirk forming on his face as he nodded. It was a subtle kind of nod, one of acknowledgement. My lips twitched up without my consent, and when I turned my attention back to Sam, her mouth was hanging wide open.

"What was that?" She asked, dark eyes bright and alert.

"What was what?" I questioned indifferently, starting to walk towards the Bio labs. I could feel a smile still toying on my lips, but I fought to hold it back. Sam followed on my heel like a lost puppy.

"Don't play dumb with me missy! I saw the nod!" Sam snapped, and this time I bit my lip to stop from laughing.

"I really have no idea what you're talking about, Samara." I lied, feigning innocence and knowing that she hated it when I called her by her full name. Sam's ears turned pink as she raised her eyebrows, pausing outside the labs to shoot me a determined look.

"You suck, Conway." She poked her tongue out and then slinked off in the direction of her first period class, leaving me to my own devices.

There were only a few people in the labs waiting for class to start, so I took my usual seat off to the right and proceeded to stare out of the window into the courtyard. Ironically, Sabrina and her posse were gathered around the garden beds, discussing something in great detail and laughing every twenty seconds. I thought back to our failed attempt at winning her back on Saturday night, and wondered how on Earth I was going to help Noah. I mean, I kind of understood why he'd assumed that I could help him, what with my mom being a matchmaker and everything, but I was probably more useless than JC would have been. I didn't know anything about girls like Sabrina, or what they wanted or what was appealing to them. Sabrina was popular, sometimes mean, and never ever missed out on anything important... socially wise anyway. She'd been to and hosted every party of Senior year so far, organised Senior Prank Day, was part of prom committee and most likely would be on the homecoming court.

Sometimes I wondered if she had a fear of missing out.

And it was right then, sat waiting for my Biology class to begin, that an idea sparked in my mind.

Just as I started to get excited, feeling proud of myself for thinking up something that could be of use, Mr Capely trotted into the classroom and slammed his briefcase down on the desk. I jumped in shock, and as I smoothed my hair down I noticed that whilst I'd been daydreaming the classroom had completely filled up. Avery, my usual Chem and Bio lab partner, had taken her seat next to me, and I gave her a small smile of greeting.

"Today," Mr Capely yelled loudly, "you will be getting an assessment piece. In order to receive credit for this assessment you must be in a pair and have handed the completed report into me by 4pm Friday afternoon. For those of you lacking in the maths and common sense department; it is currently Monday, meaning you have four nights to complete it. Capisce?" Mr Capely handed out our task sheets, and each of us took one begrudgingly. I turned to Avery with a smile, "Want to meet up at the diner tonight and work on it?" I asked her, and just as she opened her mouth to respond, another voice cut in.